Four teens for fourteen teams
I got a text from my dad early yesterday afternoon, asking me if I had any plans for the evening. This question always makes me nervous.
I answered honestly that I didn't have any immediate plans, and he came back shortly saying that he wanted to drop by after work because he had something to give me. Something to give me. He didn't say what, so I had that on my mind throughout the whole day. What would he possibly have to give me? He doesn't have anything belonging to me, so what would it be?
Fast-forward to about 6 o' clock (a half-hour later than he agreed to meet me), he arrives, and the two of us sit down for a little conversation. Essentially, he wanted to apologize. Saying he and mom had been doing a lot of thinking, they expressed that it was somewhat difficult for them to see me as anything other than being simply 'part of the family', some kind of collective entity, because I've always been there in an incredibly large part to help them. So any time I've ever deviated from that gestalt thought - like with the drama with David's funeral, and when my sister outed me - it apparently shocked them so much that they've lashed out in the past.
Mind you, I'm paraphrasing. He put things much more simply, but it makes sense.
In any case, he apologized and told me that they'd do their very best to see me as an integral part of the family AND as an individual. Then we hugged it out.
The other reason for his visit, of course, was what he actually needed to give me. Grammy and David's estate had finally been settled, after all the assets were sold and property distributed, so he just wanted to give me my share.
It's nice to really put that messy business behind us, and I think my family is showing genuine signs of wanting to change. If that's the case, then I think it will be much easier if I eventually decide to move away.
I answered honestly that I didn't have any immediate plans, and he came back shortly saying that he wanted to drop by after work because he had something to give me. Something to give me. He didn't say what, so I had that on my mind throughout the whole day. What would he possibly have to give me? He doesn't have anything belonging to me, so what would it be?
Fast-forward to about 6 o' clock (a half-hour later than he agreed to meet me), he arrives, and the two of us sit down for a little conversation. Essentially, he wanted to apologize. Saying he and mom had been doing a lot of thinking, they expressed that it was somewhat difficult for them to see me as anything other than being simply 'part of the family', some kind of collective entity, because I've always been there in an incredibly large part to help them. So any time I've ever deviated from that gestalt thought - like with the drama with David's funeral, and when my sister outed me - it apparently shocked them so much that they've lashed out in the past.
Mind you, I'm paraphrasing. He put things much more simply, but it makes sense.
In any case, he apologized and told me that they'd do their very best to see me as an integral part of the family AND as an individual. Then we hugged it out.
The other reason for his visit, of course, was what he actually needed to give me. Grammy and David's estate had finally been settled, after all the assets were sold and property distributed, so he just wanted to give me my share.
It's nice to really put that messy business behind us, and I think my family is showing genuine signs of wanting to change. If that's the case, then I think it will be much easier if I eventually decide to move away.